The Campus Athletics Research Network (CARN) was established in 2010 between the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and the Department of Athletics and Recreation.
The main objectives of CARN are to:
- provide opportunities for students to take lead roles in addressing relevant managerial problems facing the Department of Athletics and Recreation
- aid students in connecting research and theory with practice
- provide opportunities for students to, based on relevant research and theory, develop recommendations and help implement practical solutions to managerial problems facing the Department of Athletics and Recreation
- encourage recruitment of future students interested in pursuing degrees in Recreation and Leisure Studies, Recreation and Sport Business, Therapeutic Recreation or Tourism Development at the University of Waterloo
The CARN serves as a "research shop" where undergraduate and masters students enrolled in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies select a research question facing the Department of Athletics and Recreation and address it using theoretically grounded research approaches and techniques.
Research conducted via the CARN can be used to fulfill thesis requirements for masters or undergraduate honours (REC 471) degrees, or be conducted to fulfill senior undergraduate special topics (REC 475) courses. In some instances, it can also be used to fulfill requirements for the undergraduate practicum in recreation, sport and tourism (REC 312).
The Department of Athletics and Recreation in partnership with the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies will develop and maintain an ongoing research question repository. It is hoped that these questions will be somewhat comprehensive and framed in such a way that students can apply or develop theory to address them. We expect staff and faculty from both departments to assist students in a consultative capacity as they develop their research programs.
Questions and problems addressed within CARN should be related, but not necessarily limited, to one of the following management functions - marketing (service design and experience issues, pricing, distribution, the effectiveness of promotional efforts, etc.), finance (e.g., sponsorship, donations), human resources, facilities management, special events management, and general administration. CARN will try and match students' management interest to the appropriate research question.
Students entering CARN research agreements will be strongly encouraged to provide the Department of Athletics and Recreation with a practical report and/or presentation outlining their findings and recommendations for improvement. Wherever possible, students will be encouraged to help with the "implementation" of their research recommendations should they be deemed appropriate by the Department of Athletics and Recreation.